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Bentley

This S1 Continental Park Ward Fixed-Head Coupé is one of 24 examples produced in left-hand drive.

The Continental name evokes high-speed grand touring over long distances in luxury.

This was the exact experience that Bentley's Continental models offered to the privileged few during the 1950s.

The success of the Continental Type R led to the addition of the lighter, high-performance S model to the Bentley range, and consequently, the Continental S1 was produced between 1955 and 1959. The total production run amounted to 431 chassis, of which 95 were bodied by Park Ward, only 24 of which were left-hand drive.

The vehicle that is presented here is one of 24 left-hand drive chassis bodied by Park Ward.

The sturdy 4.9-litre, six-cylinder engine was retained, but with a higher compression ratio, a more efficient cylinder head and performance-enhancing camshaft and exhaust. The chassis was also upgraded and the brakes were improved with the addition of hydraulic servo assistance.

The result was 120 mph performance in style and comfort.

Several custom body designs were used with the S1 Continental chassis, generally made from light aluminium alloy, as you might expect from a performance model.

This one was delivered new on 4 September 1957 to Madame Periere of 57 rue de la Boetie, Paris, with documentation to support this including the:

copy order form in her name, with all options and their prices listed
title history, which can also be found as an attachment to this e-mail;
Original manuals included in the file.

Fifty-eight years later, it would emerge from a total, three-year restoration performed by the world-renowned Bentley specialist, Hillier Hill.

The restoration started on 15 June 2012, and was completed on 13 July 2015.

The car was repainted in its original Tudor Grey colour, while the upholstery was replaced with the original-specification Connolly Vaumol hide in beige.

All original parts that originally featured a numbered plaque were renumbered using plaques manufactured via the same cadmium method as Bentley used in the 1950s.

The restoration also included several welcome upgrades, such as an additional ventilation system, fully integrated air conditioning, an original His Master's Voice car radio converted to FM with an iPod connection, as well as seat belts in the same shade as the leather.

Our file contains all the original invoices for the restoration.

We also have a specific summary listing the amounts of each bill that was paid.

The total cost of the restoration was £334,925.90 sterling, or €470,732.26 at the sterling/euro exchange rate of 13 July 2015.